Last week Portsmouth City Council hosted a debate with the University to explore the rights of prisoners and to address the thorny issue of whether or not they should have the right to vote. An initial vote amongst the assembled audience suggested that people were very much in favour of giving this right. However, by the end of this session- held as part of European Local Democracy Week 2011- the audience view had changed, showing a majority against.
What turned them?
Well some passionate and persuasive arguements from our speakers from the Law School at the University, along with some capable chairing and focused minds. Putting across the case "For", Ursula Ward insisted that "voting is a right and not a privilege", something that helps to promote greater awareness amongst prisoners of politics & democracy, as well as generate victim empathy and promote wider responsibility. "People are sent to prison to loose their liberty and not their identity".
David Carpenter countered this with the argument that voting is "a moral right, not just a legal right" and "an entitlement not a privilege, a duty rather than a right"- "once you are out of the club you can't expect to vote on the management committee!" As the debate continued we were asked to consider that a blanket ban on voting for prisoners shows a lack of understanding of the very purpose of prison and that law makers should not break the law to uphold a principle. The debate was held to explore elements of this year's theme "Human Rights at a Local Level".
What turned them?
Well some passionate and persuasive arguements from our speakers from the Law School at the University, along with some capable chairing and focused minds. Putting across the case "For", Ursula Ward insisted that "voting is a right and not a privilege", something that helps to promote greater awareness amongst prisoners of politics & democracy, as well as generate victim empathy and promote wider responsibility. "People are sent to prison to loose their liberty and not their identity".
David Carpenter countered this with the argument that voting is "a moral right, not just a legal right" and "an entitlement not a privilege, a duty rather than a right"- "once you are out of the club you can't expect to vote on the management committee!" As the debate continued we were asked to consider that a blanket ban on voting for prisoners shows a lack of understanding of the very purpose of prison and that law makers should not break the law to uphold a principle. The debate was held to explore elements of this year's theme "Human Rights at a Local Level".
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